FARRELL, T. RASC.
Citation:
"For outstanding devotion to duty and initiative while on Special Service during his period of captivity as a prisoner of war in Hongkong in the hands of the Japanese.
About the middle of October 1942 contact was established between officers at Shamshuipo Camp and British Officers [BAAG] at Waichow through the medium of Chinese overseeers at Kai Tak Air Port.
After the discontinuance of the Kai Tak Working Party in October 1942 it became necessary to find a way of organising a new channel of communication. Driver Farrell at this time was a member of the Ration Party. About the middle of January 1943 a message was passed to him by a Chinese lorry driver. At this time he had no knowledge of these special activities, but with considerable initiative and good judgement he handed the message to Capt D Ford, 2/Royal Scots, who was directing operations. Had this note been delivered to improper hands the result would have been disasterous and highly dangerous to all concerned. Fortunately this man had the intelligence to size up the situation and placed the note in what he considered safe hands. As he had shown such a high degree of initiative and intelligence it was deemed advisable to ask him to continue the connection to which he willingly agreed although fully conscious of the extreme hazards involved in these operations. He continued to perform this duty in a highly efficient manner, being the means of sending and receiving extremely important information under the eyes of the Japanese guards when the slightest mistake would have resulted in severe punishment and possibly the loss of his life. This continued until the middle of May when he was taken off the Ration Party for other duties and was then no longer in a position to continue with these duties. It is worthy of note that even after the channel of communication was finally closed off on 1st July he volunteered to accompany working parties to try to re-establish contact with the BAAG.
The standard of initiative, intelligence and courage displayed is in the highest tradition of the Service."